Here is all you need to know about the Canberra Raiders' revised 2020 Telstra Premiership draw.
The Lowdown
Teams they play twice
Storm, Titans, Roosters, Dragons, Warriors.
Teams they play once
Knights, Wests Tigers, Sea Eagles, Eels, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Panthers, Broncos, Bulldogs, Sharks.
Day-by-day breakdown
Thursday - 1 games, Friday - 2, Saturday - 13, Sunday - 4
The restart
It starts with a bell-ringer against the Storm - a side they'll fancy themselves against after having their measure last season - in Melbourne. That's followed by three straight Campbelltown clashes against the Knights, Wests Tigers and Sea Eagles.
Five key match-ups
Storm (Round 3, AAMI Park): Great mates Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart will grab a beer afterwards, but sparks typically fly for 80 minutes beforehand. Just ask Joey Leilua.
Sea Eagles (Round 6, Campbelltown Stadium): It's been a guaranteed nail-biter in recent years, with five games against Manly decided by four points or less since 2017. Raiders fans won't have forgotten Addin Fonua-Blake's post-match "cry baby" routine after Manly's win in round 23 last year.
The best are coming back
Roosters (Round 10, TBC; Round 17, Venue TBC): Canberra threw the kitchen sink and then some at the game's best defence in a gripping grand final, only to come up just short. A whole summer to stew on that should make for a couple of decent showdowns this year.
Panthers (Round 13, Venue TBC): Always a few points and plenty of fun when these two sides square off and defence takes a back seat. Canberra's two comfortable wins in 2019 squared the overall ledger at 38 wins apiece with one draw way back in 1996.
Sharks (Round 20, Venue TBC): Another rivalry with plenty of spice but little else between the two sides. Canberra prevailed 22-20 and 15-14 in two thrillers in 2019, spoiling Paul Gallen's last home game with a come-from-behind triumph and three Aidan Sezer field goals. Their only 2020 meeting comes in the final round with spots in the finals potentially on offer.
It's game on
Toughest stretch
Doubles against the Roosters and Storm make for a tough draw overall. The Green Machine cops those two back to back in rounds 10 and 11 before facing the Bunnies then the Cowboys away.
You can download the full 2020 Premiership draw or just your team's schedule directly into your calendar with eCal. Download it now
